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Previously
14. Alwyn the Alchemist and The Blood Cult’s Trail 15. Leaving the Cross, Questioning Wilhelm, and the Vanishing Ignatius] 16. The Black Breach, the Battle on the Jasmine, and Balor Restored! 17. The Twins, Wignatius, Boar Island and the Northern Elves 18. The Dragonborn body, Battle with the Elves, and the Purple Flower 19. Nightmares and Black Agatha 20. Penelope, the Water Temple, and a Storm Giant 21. Bay of Zombies & Lost Limbs 22. The Teleportation Circle & Tryx’s Brother March 29, 2019 The party confirmed that Lady Yen could use the teleportation circle to send them across the Cerulean Dominion, but learned they would need the true name of the location they planned to teleport to. Tryx searched through a volume he had purchased (A History of Landovia Volume 2 by Dexter Sten), which spoke of a major settlement called Nero Thalas. The party reasoned that this could be the true name of New Haven Harbour, and devised a plan to use the teleportation circle to complete their personal missions before rejoining the Ebon Hawk in a few months for the push to the Infinite Isle. That evening the PCs gathered with Lady Yen, Beyla, and Penelope to make the journey to the teleportation circle. When Lily, Noble, and Nim said they wanted to come too Balor rebuffed them and said they were to stay on the ship or take their chances alone. Angered, the family left, before Tryx encouraged them to return. The party members snuck through the city ruins but were seen by dark spirits before they made it to the woods. That night Altair noticed Lily and Noble sneak away from the group, and when he asked their father why, Nim assured him it was for the group’s protection. By morning Lily and Noble had returned. The party travelled briskly all day to stay ahead of the dark spirits, before resting in a cave at night. For the second night in a row Penelope awoke screaming from a nightmare. This noise attracted the dark spirits; however, the party was able to defeat them. The next evening the group arrived at the teleportation circle and Lady Yen teleported them to Nero Thalas. Once there, they were promptly arrested by a roomful of clerics for trespassing in the Temple of Sarenrae. The clerics repeatedly referred to Balor as a “demon” and he was bound and muzzled in a cell across from Lady Yen. Beyla, Penelope, Nim, Noble, and Lily were released, and Ignatius was taken away for treatment. The next day Altair and Tryx were brought before the new Admiral of New Haven Harbour, Delaney O’Day. She revealed that a silver dragonborn had been terrorizing the port and Balor was to be held until his innocence could be proven; meanwhile, Yen was found to be in possession of stolen materials from the Hall of Knowledge and would also stay imprisoned. During questioning about their absence when Yorrick attacked the city, Tryx antagonized Admiral O’Day and he and Altair were thrown out without being able to speak to Balor and Yen. Outside the Hall of Justice Altair and Tryx rejoined Beyla who had already returned Penelope to her grandfather. She brought them to meet Farnsworth at the Hall of Knowledge in the hopes that he could help get Yen and Balor released. Eternally grateful for Penelope’s safe return Farnsworth eagerly agreed to help. On the trip back to the Hall of Justice Tryx and Farnsworth spoke and realized they’re both from Naldum, and furthermore, are half-brothers! Farnsworth also revealed that they have another brother called Rurik. Altair convinced Farnsworth that Yen was on her way to return the stolen books when she was arrested, and Farnsworth was able to get her released. Yen assured Balor that she would get the evidence needed to free him. While he was imprisoned Balor saw wanted posters for members of a thieves’ guild, and met a chatty dwarf who managed to escape from his cell. Balor made a fuss to alert the guards of the escape. March 8th, 2019 Balor spoke to Petronella about the cauldron’s revelation that they come from the same place. She told him that she is from an island called Dovastahd but that she left decades ago and intends to never return. She remained vague, but told him that there are no more silver dragonborn there, and that his people were drawn to conflict. Using the map on the bracer from the red dragonborn, Balor was able to identify the approximate location of Dovastahd (west of Loki), if it still exists. The crew sought out an aarakocra nest and left payment and a letter to be delivered to the Black Marauder requesting further instructions for their mission. During the three week journey to the Bay of Marauders Ignatius’s condition worsened; his speed slowed, his mood was inconsistent, and his hair began to grey. Meanwhile, the party entertained themselves with goblin pranks, “training” Lily and Noble, and bedtime stories with Beyla. One evening Balor overheard the sounds of copulation in the armory, but was only able to catch Ragnar alone. Mr. Burroughs was able to use a star chart and a partially burnt scroll to determine that an eclipse was set to occur 32 weeks from their scheduled arrival in the Bay of Marauders. According to his calculations, during this time the deadly storm system in the Sea of Storms would settle long enough for the Ebon Hawk to pass safely to the Infinite Isle. The crew debated if waiting so long would be in their best interest or if they should brave the storm now. When the ship finally docked, the Bay of Marauders was in ruins and covered under a cloud of perpetual ash. A smaller ship called the Coral Casket was also docked, but did not seem to have a crew. The party fought through shuffling undead in the market ruins, and defeated the reanimated body of Brother Jeremiah. Tryx nearly died when he summoned a bolt of lightning onto himself and the surrounding undead, but Altair managed to revive him. During the battle the decaying form of Merryweather compelled Balor to rip out his own eye and her own eyeball made its home in his socket. The party managed to avoid further undead as they made their way to the Keeper’s shop, only to find that the building was burnt and broken-down. However, when Balor tried the damaged red door it opened to reveal that the shop was miraculously intact. Ignatius asked the party to stand watch and entered alone. An hour later he emerged with a large case of tonic, and missing a hand. When the party returned to the Ebon Hawk Lady Yen inspected Balor’s new eye and determined that he had attuned to a familiar. Altair reasoned that Lady Yen could use the mountaintop teleportation circle to instantly send them to different islands across the Cerulean Dominion. February 8th, 2019 The party recovered loot from Black Agatha’s temple, including coins, rings, and herbs. Tryx grabbed Penelope and yelled at her about his crest on her luggage. She blasted him with cold magic, and hid in the corner before Ignatius eventually calmed her down with a tale. Tryx explained to the party that the intertwined silver rings was his family crest passed down to him by his father. When his father betrayed their faith and married another woman, Tryx had left his home in Naldum. Balor explained that he had seen this same symbol on Remington Farnsworth’s chain. Altair watched over Penelope while the other party members descended underwater to the ruined temple. After a wild shape into a shark, a few hours of searching, and a close encounter with a storm giant, the party recovered the fourth idol: a silver shark. Before leaving the island, the party asked the hag’s cauldron to see Antioch/Wilhelm, and were shown Alwyn the firbolg boarding a small vessel out of New Haven Harbour. When the party asked the cauldron to show where Balor was from it showed open water. When asked to show someone else from where Balor was from the cauldron flashed an image of Petronella. Tryx attempted to use magic to charm Penelope, but she resisted, and became hostile towards him. Over the next four days the party made their way back to the Ebon Hawk. The crew had built defenses on the shore and the repairs had been completed on the ship. The crew also acquired blue and red uniforms from a wrecked ship. When the four idols were put together they generated a golden compass needle that pointed North West. After more than a week without his tonic Ignatius developed a tremor, and the crew agreed that his best chance for survival was to get to the Keeper’s shop in the Bay of Marauders, three weeks away. January 11th, 2019 During their night in the meadow each member of the party experienced a vivid nightmare, and awoke disturbed by their respective dreams. Tryx noticed that the purple flower had released spores into the meadow. Ignatius cut a petal from the flower and experienced a psychic attack in response. Tryx made a tea from Zingle root to dull his senses. Later in the day the party came upon a northern village of wood elves who had captured Brother Emmitt from the Bay of Marauders. The party avoided the village and continued north, before eventually coming upon one of the village's hunting parties. The PCs captured a wood elf called Fayal, and questioned him about the idol’s location. They also learned that the northern elves sacrifice their people to Black Agatha in exchange for the food and strength to survive on the island. While the party rested for the evening, Ignatius and Tryx had a heated conversation. Tryx summoned a bear that mauled Ignatius, and Ignatius had to be revived by Altair. During the final watch of the night Ignatius took the map and headed to Black Agatha alone. Outside a desecrated temple to Sarenrae, Ignatius confronted an old woman at a cauldron who said she had been watching his progress in her brew. Ignatius told her stories of his travels before eventually being subdued by her frightful true form. When the rest of the party arrived, they disposed of Fayal, and defeated the old woman, Rotten Ethel. When Black Agatha revealed herself, she proposed releasing Farnsworth’s granddaughter and letting the party search for the idol if they left the island; however, Ignatius countered that she would free the elves as well. Black Agatha refused, and the party eventually defeated her and the troll Gumguk. The party freed the unintelligible Penelope Farnsworth and found a luggage box with an emblem of two linked silver rings. Tryx recognized this as his family crest, the symbol of Berronar Truesilver; meanwhile, Balor recognized it as the crest of Remington Farnsworth from New Haven Harbour. The party replaced the damaged boar statue, which pointed to the next idol off a cliff and into the ocean. The party also examined the hags’ cauldron and realized it can be used to locate people and objects. December 21st, 2018 12 hours before the start of the session, Balor and Ignatius pulled the body of a red dragonborn from the wreckage of the Neptune’s Fortune. The dragonborn appears to have drowned during the shipwreck. On his body they found a silver bracer and a sword. A map was etched on the inside of the bracer, but Balor didn't recognize the location. Ignatius managed to remove a finger from the dragonborn without being seen, then the party constructed a pyre and burned the body. Altair showed the party the logbook he recovered from the captain’s chamber and Balor recognized the name of a passenger, Penelope Farnsworth, as the missing granddaughter of the librarian in New Haven Harbour. At the start of the session the wood elves in Hyarmyn attacked the sleeping party. Though the PCs were able to kill many of them, the medicine woman Garmul called for reinforcements and demanded that the party leave the village. The party retreated into the jungle, but Ignatius, visibly shaken by the deaths of the crudely armed villagers, delayed his retreat to try to tend to their wounds. As more armed wood elves closed in, Garmul gave Ignatius another chance to leave and queried why “she” sent them. The party recovered in Altair’s pocket dimension, and Ignatius insisted that they return to Hyarmyn to atone for killing the villagers; however, the rest of the party was in agreement that such action would get Ignatius killed. Ignatius argued that if they did get the jin's wish they would need to start acting like they were worthy of it. The party found safety in a tree for the night, but by morning they had been surrounded by boars at the roots, and harpies in the trees. During the ensuing battle Ignatius was knocked unconscious and fell from the tree; however, Tryx leapt after him and recovered his body before the boars could attack. Following the battle the party debated returning to the Ebon Hawk or completing their mission. They eventually voted to press on in the hopes of finding an Enimat flower to save Ignatius. After a cautious day of travel, the exhausted party came upon a meadow just after sunset. The meadow was devoid of animals and plant life, save for a purple flower in the middle. The party kept their distance from the flower, built a barricade, and then rested for the night in the meadow. November 30th, 2018 The PCs got to know Noble and Lily, and Ignatius contrived a reason to take over their duties. Tryx encouraged Ragnar to teach them how to fight, and Altair discussed with Mr. Burroughs the consequences of these passengers learning about their mission. Tryx tried to heal Petronella’s burns unsuccessfully, and Altair learned that Petronella hates all slavers. One evening Ignatius gathered the crew and assumed his alter ego “Wignatius.” He told them all a tale of his own creation, and his adventures with the PCs. The performance included music and costume changes, and was met with mass applause. Later on, the PCs gathered in the Armory to discuss Tryx’s increasing nihilism. Tryx told them he was homesick, and that his convictions had led him to leave his home, but recent events left him convinced this was meritless. Ignatius argued that Tryx’s magic was evidence that his god hadn’t abandoned him, and that he survived due to providence. Lady Yen translated another journal entry for Ignatius. He told her that his tonic had run out and she admitted that its ingredients were difficult to find. Later, she revealed to him that she keeps a woman called Amelia hidden in her room, frozen in ice. Yen explained that she intends to use the jin’s wish to save her. As the ship finally approached Boar Island it was attacked by harpies. The male crew were charmed by their song, and though the PCs were able to defeat the monsters, the ship was damaged against the rocks. Following the battle Ignatius saved Gabbo and Gobbo from drowning. The PCs searched shipwrecks on the shore, including the Gorgon’s Bite, before they discovered the familiar figurehead of the Neptune’s Fortune. Aboard this badly damaged ship they found the Captain’s log and the body of a dead dragonborn. The PCs made their way into the jungle in search of the fourth idol, and came upon a village of wood elves. Ignatius concocted a story to explain the party’s presence on the island, and they were invited to stay the night. That evening they heard tales of the White Tusk and Black Agatha. As the PCs slept the wood elves attacked. November 16, 2018 The PCs searched the Ebon Hawk for young Ignatius to no avail. Lady Yen confirmed that the teleportation circle on the deck was a one-way teleporter off the ship, and could not be used to return. Captain O’Malley was satisfied with this information and continued the ship’s course to the Black Breach. The PCs threw a party to lift the crew’s spirits; there was socializing, arm wrestling, gambling, and 3/4ths of the rum keg was consumed. The party learned the history of the Black Breach prison, met a tattooed prisoner, gave Wilhelm into custody, and collected his bounty. However, Altair and Ignatius maintained that the catatonic man they delivered was not the real Wilhelm, and that he must’ve escaped. Altair split his portion of the bounty with the party, and indicated that he would begin to track young Ignatius. Tryx dispelled Wilhelm’s spell book, and Lady Yen began the lengthy process of translating it. It revealed journal entries written by Wilhelm which confirmed that he used magic to create Ignatius. It also contained diagrams of the Enimat flower, and a ritual involving a diamond that might restore Balor’s faculties. The Ebon Hawk encountered a merchant ship called The Jasmine, and engaged in trade with its charismatic captain, LeCroix. A battle ensured when it was revealed that The Jasmine had slaves on board. Petronella was badly burned as she beat the minotaur, Grim, to death; however, Ignatius implored her to spare LeCroix. The Jasmine was left badly damaged, the slaves Nim, Noble, and Lily, were brought aboard the Ebon Hawk, as was a box of the narcotic Black Sand, and an ornate cannon called the Persuasion. That night the crew gathered to perform the ritual in Wilhelm’s spell book. Lady Yen used the diamond component from the cannon, and Balor’s intelligence was restored! The Ebon Hawk is two weeks from Boar Island— the location of the final idol. Meanwhile, Ignatius’s tonic stock is dangerously low. November 2nd, 2018 Following the defeat of the Blood Cult, the PCs returned above ground to find the Bjornstahd surrounded by dozens of Odin’s guards. Natasha confirmed that Baro Grey was the one who kidnapped her, which Altair admitted to suspecting, and the blood-soaked party was allowed to leave. Tryx rejoined the party in Thor, and they reunited Natasha with her mother Millicent. Following the emotional reunion, the party observed the guards surrounding Baro Grey’s office, and overheard that she was no longer there. The party met with Investigator Bram, who Balor accused of involvement with the cult. Together, they questioned head-guard Danmark about Baro Grey’s whereabouts, only to find that her ship had already left the island. This led Bram and the party to question the Bjornstahd’s shopkeeper in custody. Under duress he confessed that he tipped off the “Captain” who in turn warned Baro Grey—neither Grey nor the Captain were apprehended. The next morning, the 3 remaining Baros of the Nordic Cross gifted the party with rewards, including the Sword of Tyr, for their service during their time on the islands. The cleric-turned-barber, Smithers, was unable to heal Balor, but recommended that the party try the Clerics of Sarenrae in New Haven Harbour. The Ebon Hawk departed after taking on Ragnar, Beyla, Gabbo, and Gobbo as crew; but not Drax’s daughter Kiera. Brock was also left in Thor. Alwyn provided the party with a collection of potions, and Ignatius smuggled young Ignatius aboard despite protestations from the crew. During the day the PCs used various means to question Wilhelm; however, he remained catatonic. Tryx declared his intention to kill Wilhelm, and Altair vowed to deliver him alive to the Black Breach in order to collect the bounty. During the night Ignatius and Balor confronted Altair during his watch, but before things could escalate Avery called the PCs to examine a teleportation circle scrawled on the deck in charcoal. After a ship-wide search young Ignatius is missing.